Emergency Fund Launched to Rebuild Desperately-Needed Building
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It was a structure that represented dreams and aspirations.
The dreams of its founders and the aspirations of its young students.
Bnos Devorah Raizel Elementary School had long grown out of its temporary facilities on Reb Chiya Way on the campus of Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe of Fallsburg when golden shovels pierced the parched ground of an overgrown lot in Fallsburg, NY, at the groundbreaking of its brand new school building two years ago. Located on Laurel Park Road, across the street from the school’s current trailers and bungalows, the building was going to house the almost 200 students of Bnos Devorah Raizel comfortably, with room for further growth. Completion of the building was drawing close, with a date for a chanukas habayis already finalized.
And then the unthinkable happened.
On the morning of Thursday, January 23, the dreams of a new building went up in smoke – very literally. A massive blaze broke out at the construction site of Bnos Devorah Raizel’s building, completely destroying the structure, leaving behind nothing more than a pile of rubble.
It was a scene that was hard to watch for the South Fallsburg stalwarts who had invested heart and soul into making the dream of a new building into a reality.
Students were heartbroken, teachers left speechless. What was there to say?
The school – their school – had just burned to the ground.
But Klal Yisroel doesn’t stay down for long. Within hours of the devastating fire, local residents were joined by others in launching a campaign to restore what was lost. The school would bounce back with the help of compassionate Yidden nationwide and beyond.
Which is why we are reaching out to you.
Bnos Devorah Raizel is the beloved Bais Yaakov of the Fallsburg Yeshiva community. Named after Mrs. Devorah Raizel (Debbie) Shick a”h bas Reb Avrohom Yosef and Pessia Frankel, the school is a home away from home for its many students, who have benefitted from the chinuch b’derech Yisroel saba.
Bnos Devorah Raizel began in a small house left from the original Laurel Park Hotel and grew from classes of four students to classes of 25 and now close to 200 girls.
In a poignant letter, Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah of South Fallsburg, pleads with Yidden, wherever they may be, to step up and participate in assisting the school recoup its losses. The fire is nothing short of devastating, and Rav Wachtfogel stresses that it is “virtually impossible” for the school to continue operating in its current state without the new building. While the school does have insurance, it will not come close to covering the expenses of constructing this building. It is absolutely vital that the needed funds be raised in order to rebuild the building, ensuring the continuance of chinuch between the walls of Bnos Devorah Raizel.
The school has established a goal of raising $500,000 in order to ensure the construction of a building for Bnos Devorah Raizel l’sheim ul’tiferes.
“The fire will not get us down,” says Rav Ephraim Sher, Nosi of the Fallsburg Yeshiva. “With Hashem’s help, we have started rebuilding today.”
To participate in this emergency campaign, go to: https://www.rayze.it/rebuildfallsburg/ or call 845-767-8100
Another fire in Fallsburg? Arson? Sloppy construction? Bad wiring? What?
Was the building not insured?
I am concerned that the building burned so readily. Out of what materials was it constructed? Suppose it had been recently occupied by 200 girls (G-d forbid) and it had burned like that. Something doesn’t seem right. As another commenter asked, was it arson, poor construction, wiring not up to code, or what? Something is not right here. PLEASE, when the building is reconstructed, ensure that it is as fireproof as possible, including a sprinkler system, etc. I would urge those donating to insist that protective measures are put in place as a condition of the donation.